KANSER
Hailing from the South-Side of Minneapolis, Kanser is one of the most decorated underground hip-hop acts to come out of a city known for its endless pool of talent. Kanser is comprised of New MC (Zach Combs) and Unicus (Harry Philibert) on the mic with DJ Elusive (Erik Dorf) laying the tracks. In addition to sharing the stage with many Minneapolis legends, such as Atmosphere (Rhymesayers), POS (Rhymesayers/Doomtree), and Heiruspecs (Razor and Tie), they’ve also been known to rock the mic with many of today’s chart toppers like Cee Lo (of Gnarls Barkley), Clipse, and Juvenile.
They have a resume that spans nearly ten years. It began in 1997 with their Minneapolis classic “NOW”, which was recorded on Ant of Atmosphere’s 4-Track. Numerous singles and six full lengths later, we await the release of their newest full length album, “Future Retro Legacy”. The album boasts exclusive production by Big Jess of the Unknown Prophets and features guest spots by Midwest underground greats like AD of The Crest and Pee Wee Dred of Dred I Dread. The result: a soulful and classically Minneapolis sound that remind us why we liked Midwest underground hip-hop in the first place.
Quotes from Press:
"Pleasant is the way they start this Album wasting no time getting to the good stuff. The first song you hear almost makes you sit up in your seat with a positive feeling.The two veteran members of Kanser brought the summertime vibe early this year making the ultimate soundtrack for spring. Using an unbelievable ability to transcend energy through music Unicus and Zach bring well delivered and educated verses that are creating a graduated sound from Kanser. Getting this CD stuck in the dash isn’t such a bad thing; you will be in a good mood every time you get out the car. Having the whole album produced by Big Jess creates a consistency and makes it full of those Kanser songs you love."
-- Midwestunderground.org
Kanser goes ’Retro’ After dabbling in a few outside projects and suffering one bad bicycle accident, Zach (a k a New MC) and Unicus are back on the Kanser horse. The almost-veteran hip-hop duo finished off a new Kanser CD, "Future Retro Legacy," with help from Unknown Prophets co-leader Big Jess, who produced all the beats. As the title suggests, the 13-track collection goes back to the future, with loads of ’70s R&B/soul flavor and a little hippie charm. There are many signs of maturity from the always-playful rappers, whether it’s Unicus riffing on fatherhood in "Pleasent" or Zach’s touching dedication to a deceased friend in "Interlude." But the guys haven’t grown too serious: "Beaut-E" sounds like one long pickup line.
-- CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER, Star Tribune
"Longevity counts for a lot in the rap game and Kanser has it."
-- STEVE MCPHERESON, Rift Magazine